A Fateful Storm
by Kyasarina
Summary: Written for Tamaki's birthday. The Host Club visit a rainforest. Tamaki/Kaoru and Hikaru/Haruhi


**I don't own Ouran High School Host Club. If I did, I wouldn't be writing Ouran fan fictions, now wouldn't I? It belongs to Hatori Bisco.**

**Written for Tamaki's birthday!**

"That's settled then!"Kaoru blinked. He hadn't heard a word that had been spoken.

"Eh?"

"We're going to a _rainforest_! Ah… I can picture us in the sunset… light glancing off us-""How can there be a sunset in a rainforest, senpai?"Haruhi. Ever the logical one, along with Kyouya. I noticed where she was sitting. Right next to Hikaru.

I should be used to it by now, shouldn't I? My twin and my secret crush going out together.

Truth be told, I actually hadn't had time to get used to it. They'd told all of us less than a week ago.

"_We are together now!"Hikaru was smiling towards Tamaki. I love my twin more than anything, but I have to tell the truth._

_His smile was vindictive._

_He'd won Haruhi from Tamaki. That was what mattered to him most - except for Haruhi herself, of course. _

_I don't think he even remembered that I liked her too. _

_He forgot about me._

"_Hm. Well, good luck to you both!"Huh? How could Tamaki be so carefree? _

_He liked Haruhi, I know he did. So why was there no sadness behind the smile?_

_I'm the quieter twin. I notice things that Hikaru, and even the rest of the Host Club miss._

_Well, maybe apart from Tamaki. I've seen him look worriedly at a girl who appears to be having the time of her life, but is in fact sad, asking a kid who is falsely smiling what the matter is…_

_The list goes on and on._

_We notice things behind people's outward appearances. _

_But there was no falseness about his smile._

"When are we going?""Now!"

Now? That's just like Tamaki… never stops.

I don't remember the journey. I don't really remember anything anymore…

I just don't care anymore.

We reached the "rainforest" around about five o'clock in the afternoon. I know because Honey kept asking Mori when we'd get there.

Even when we got there, I didn't pay attention to anything…

Apart from Hikaru and, to a certain extent, Haruhi.

He didn't say so much as a single word to me, but he kept on talking to Haruhi.

Tamaki talked about the beauty of the forest…

I didn't look at it.

***

Looking back, I'm amazed at how easily it could have stayed like that… to this day, I may have still felt like that…

It's a scary thought.

Thankfully, an incident happened that day… It saved me from my own depression.

***

"Hikaru! Haruhi!""See you milord!"

They disappeared from sight.

"Wait! Kyouya, can - Kyouya! Where are you!"

Silence answered his call.

"Hm? Where's Honey?Mori's face was priceless as he realized that Honey wasn't next to him. I think they're both ninjas, because as I looked at Mori he'd also disappeared.

I looked up at Tamaki - to realize he wasn't there.

I was alone.

***

Now, I know why they disappeared in front of me. I was in so deep a depression, that time slipped me by.

Left behind…

To this day, ever since that time, one of my greatest fears is to be left behind.

***

Some hours passed. I didn't move an inch.

I can't tell you at what time it started.

There's a fact about me that _nobody _knew, until then, apart from me. Even Hikaru doesn't know.

In fact… he's the reason I kept it a secret.

I'm weak. The flaws in me are evident. All this…

I don't mind if people call me a liar.

I don't mind if people call me a brat.

I _do_ mind if they say I am afraid.

That I'm a coward.

My main weakness is one I share with Haruhi.

I'm scared of storms in the dark.

A storm, fine. I can hide that from everyone. Nobody notices, because I have controlled my fear so well.

The dark as well.

But both… It's too much for me.

I flinched as the first blaze of lightning appeared through the forest.

As the crash resounded through the forest, I covered my ears.

I knew from experience that it didn't help…

But it's a human instinct.

I cowered into a tree as the storm continued. In my mind, my fear turned seconds into hours of terror.

The crashes sounded like they were coming closer - to destroy me!

The rumbling got closer… it almost sounded like they were coming after me, calling my name.

_Kaoru. Kaoru. Kaoru. Kaoru. _"Kaoru?"

At first, I didn't hear the voice amidst the thunder. Then a hand grabbed my shoulder. I flinched and curled even tighter into myself.

"Kaoru, it's me! Tamaki!"

I turned slightly. It was indeed Tamaki. Amidst the lightning flashes and the night, he almost appeared godlike. His hair looked white.

"Kaoru?"His voice was gentle, like he was talking to a little kid. I was about to tell him I was fine when thunder shocked me. Tears fell from my already glistening eyes.

"Kaoru… are you afraid of storms like Haruhi?"I was about to tell him that of course I wasn't, when the loudest rumble of thunder came. I almost choked.

"Kaoru-""DON'T HATE ME!""What? Kaoru-""PLEASE! DON'T!"

"What are you-"I collapsed then.

"I'm good for _nothing_! I'm useless! I'm-"

"Wait!"

I looked up at the Host king. Realization glittered in his violet eyes

"That's why you never told us that you were afraid of storms! You thought we'd look down on you!"

How someone who I viewed as an idiot understood this, when even I, until that moment hadn't known the reason… It astounded me.

"Wait- you haven't even told Hikaru, have you?"How did he know?

"If you didn't tell anybody because you didn't want them to look down on you… You definitely wouldn't have told Hikaru… you didn't want him to look down on you the most!"

He could tell my best kept secrets after a few seconds of looking at me? I really was going to have to re-evaluate him. He was actually quite smart.

"Y-yes…""Kaoru… we don't look down on Haruhi for being afraid of thunder and lightning. Why would we look down on you?""H-Haruhi's a girl though…""I wouldn't recommend saying that to her face."I was going to make a comeback when yet more thunder came. I buried my head into Tamaki's chest. He hugged me then. I cried into his shirt. It was going to get all wet, but Tamaki didn't seem to mind.

***

"We need to find them."It was eleven o'clock in the morning. The sun was burning into the Host Club -

Minus Tamaki and Kaoru.

"But… how? It is a big place you know…""We'll find them sooner or later- Kyouya?"Kyouya had stopped, smirk evident on his face.

"I would say sooner rather than later."He pointed. The rest of the club ran over to where ha pointed - and stopped abruptly.

Their reactions were all varied.

Haruhi smiled happily. Honey did too. Mori showed no emotion. Kyouya smirked.

***

Hikaru nearly fainted.

***

Tamaki and Kaoru were both asleep. Traces of tears lined Kaoru's cheeks. His head lay on Tamaki's chest. Tamaki's arms were encircled around Kaoru protectively.

***

Tamaki saved me that day. I don't know what I'd have done without him.

I owe him everything.


End file.
